1847 ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT LETTER HANDWRITTEN BY A SOUTH CAROLINA MAN NOT HAPPY WITH THE LESS CIVILIZED, LESS HOSPITABLE ALABAMA WHICH HE IS DETERMINED TO MAKE HIS NEW HOME AND MEDICAL PRACTICE

MARION ALABAMA BIRMINGHAM AL. Good. 1847. On offer is a super, significant ante bellum manuscript letter handwritten  by Dr. F.E. Gordon, writing to his sister in Charleston, South Carolina  about his new life in Marion, Alabama. Dated May 15, 1847 the four [4]  page offers up a scathing review. Dr. Gordon [who would go on to be a  noted member of the medical community in Marion for having published  papers on fever and dysentery in a number of medical journals] had  apparently just moved to Alabama from South Carolina to set up his medical  practice. He writes of his wife Sarah and their young son bemoaning the  fact that Alabama is a less civilized, less hospitable place than South  Carolina. Here are some snippets: "Alabama differs much from S. Carolina,  and in nothing more than in the general demoralization, which prevails.  Public faith and private have long ago fallen into disrepute; and they are  at present canvassing whether they shall repudiate the state debt, as  Mississippi did a few years ago, or not. For my part I shall never cease  to deplore the want of honesty and of refinement which are equally  prevalent throughout this State. All the ceremonies which are so  punctiliously kept up by the better classes in Charleston are unknown  here; and those who pretend to lead the fashion and rule the politics of  the state, would be dubbed "outer barbarians" in your native City. In  Mobile you can find some good society, although the same moral tone  pervades the most of that city." He says he is determined to make the best  of it, however. He mentions that though there are few amusements, no  theater or balls, save for events at the local schools: Howard College,  Marion Female Seminary and the Judson Institute. He attends a series of  lectures on Natural Philosophy and Chemistry given by Prof. Sherman at  Howard College. He says he has also been called to court on cases to give  "medical testimony." Folded for mailing, some small loss to a few letters  from opening but overall G.; Manuscript; 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall.

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